| 1 ¶ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
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| 2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he1 that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
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| 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
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| 4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
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| 5 ¶ Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
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| 6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked2 of their clothing.
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| 7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
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| 8 But as for the mighty3 man, he had the earth; and the honourable4 man dwelt in it.
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| 9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
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| 10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
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| 11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
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| 12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars,5 how high they are!
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| 13 And thou sayest, How6 doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
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| 14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
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| 15 ¶ Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
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| 16 Which were cut down out of time, whose7 foundation was overflown with a flood:
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| 17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for8 them?
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| 18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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| 19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
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| 20 Whereas our substance9 is not cut down, but the remnant10 of them the fire consumeth.
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| 21 ¶ Acquaint now thyself with him,11 and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
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| 22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
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| 23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
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| 24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust,12 and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
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| 25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence,13 and thou shalt have plenty14 of silver.
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| 26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
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| 27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
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| 28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
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| 29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble15 person.
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| 30 He shall16 deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
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